Improvement in skirt-adjusters



'A. S. GEAR.

SKIRT ADJUSTER.

No. 171 474. Patented Dec. 28, 1875."

iliimemw v Impala/Z07:

NJETEI FNOTO-LITHQGRAPRER, WASHINGTON. D, C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALONZO S. GEAR, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT m SKlRT-ADJUSTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [71,474, dated December 28, 1875; application filed November 22, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALoNzo S. GEAR, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Skirt-Adjusters or Pull-Backs and I do hereby declare the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 represents the skirt-adjuster in position upon the wearer; Fig. 2, a perspective view of the adjuster, with straps and waistband attached; and Fig. 3 a plan view of the adjuster without ei ther straps or waistband.

The style of dress denominated the pullback necessitates the pinning of the dressskirt and under-skirts immediately in the rear of the person of the wearer, to give the desired contour to the apparel, and as the skirt is drawn very tightly over the thighs and abdomen, great strain is brought upon the fabric at the point where the pin or pins are inserted, which unavoidably results in the tearing of the dress at this point, for the reason that the wearer in her efforts to walk, or her endeavors to attain a sitting posture, increases the strain upon the fabric to a degree that makes such a result inevitable.

The objects of my invention are to obviate these defects, and to atford a means whereby this style of dress can be worn with all the comfort and elegance that may be desired without injury either to the wearer or her apparel; and to these ends I produce a new article of manufacture, consisting of an open flexible spring, which may be covered and padded, if desired, bent to conform to the person, and to nearly encircle the skirts of the wearer immediately beneath the body, proper, to permit the wearer when using it to draw the skirts tightly over the thighs and abdomen, and allow the folds to pass through the opening in the rear of the spring, where they will be retained, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Similar letters of reference in the accompanying drawing'indicate like parts in the invention.

The spring A may be of steel or any other suitable material, bent to conform tothe person, and nearly encircle the skirts of the wearer immediately below the body proper.

It may be covered with any suitable material, when steel is used, and padded, as at D D, if desired, to render it more soft and comfortable. The curve in the front of the spring conforms to the hollow between the thighs in front, renders the device elastic,

themselves relied upon to hold the spring in place, but I prefer to use the straps and waistband.

When the skirt-adjuster is to beworn, the

spring A is placed upon the person, and the skirts are drawn tightly over the thighs and abdomen, and the folds drawn back through the opening in the spring, and allowed to fall in the rear thereof. Thedress is then put on, and an elastic cord; used to hold it in position; consequently, by this device the pull-back style can be adopted without injury to the clothing of the wearer, and owing to its flexibility her movements will be unlinpeded either while walking or sitting.

Where an over-skirt is worn the adjuster may be worn over the dress-skirt, as the former will conceal it. The elastic cord need then be used only upon the over-skirt.

Having thus described my invention of improvements, what 1 claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

As a new article of manufacture, a skirtadjuster, consisting of an open flexible spring bent to conform to the person, substantially as described and shown, and to nearly encircle the skirts of the wearer, as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing improvements, as above described, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 22d'day'of November, 1875.

ALONZO s. GEAR. 1 s.]

Witnesses:

T. S. MGLAIN, THEODORE MUNGEN. 

